The latest iPad ads appeared this evening, both on TV and on Apple's YouTube channel. Both new ads are embedded below.
The ads feature a rapid text scroll, presumably listing the attributes of the magical and revolutionary tablets. Each "landing" word is then given life with quick demo moments of iPad apps like TED, iBooks, Vimeo, Garage Band and plenty more. How many apps can you identify?
[Source: TUAW]
With so many ways to share calendars and schedules, sometimes it's nice to go a little bit old-school with a blank sheet of paper, a Magic Marker and a little bit of time. Mobile Simplified's $0.99 Weekly Schedule app, just released to the US App Store for iPad, delivers some of that hands-on feeling as it lets you create sharable weekly agendas, monthly calendars and task lists.
Weekly Schedule inherits most of its features from the $1.99 iTeach Pad, which also includes student management and lesson plan options; both apps share a UI aesthetic with a more "classroom" feel than most iOS offerings.
The core schedule features are simple: on a time grid for the week, you add your event blocks and build out your schedule. If you want a specific event to repeat all week long (a morning meeting, for instance) just tap and hold to duplicate it.
Blocks get a specific duration, color and name when you create them, and they hold onto that indefinitely. (You can also edit the names of the days, and it's easy to accidentally edit Friday when trying to tap the "add event" button.) The quick drag-and-drop rearrangement of the blocks -- almost as if you had paper cutouts on a cardboard schedule -- makes it easy to fit all the necessary schedule elements into your week, and know that you're not skipping anything.
In the monthly calendar mode, you're actually getting an alternate view of your iPad calendar data one month at a time. It's not as flexible as dedicated apps like Agenda or Readdle's Calendars, but it's a nice overview. The Lists view gives you a basic task manager, with folders to group lists of individual to-dos. Each task can be checked off with a single tap.
Sharing and exporting is an interesting -- and very constrained -- feature in Weekly Schedule. Nothing is cloud synced, dynamic or remotely editable (except events in the Calendar view, if your native calendars are shared); it's all local data, all on your iPad. For the weekly view and the calendar view, there's one way to get your work out to your colleagues -- you email an image of the schedule or calendar. Yep, that's it. For task lists, the email is text instead of an image, which is appropriate for that data type.
I'd love to see some next-gen features (AirPrint, flexible export options) make it into Weekly Schedule down the road. In the meantime, though, if you have a weekly planner to make and only your iPad handy, it's a solid tool.
[Source: TUAW]
Apple recently released an iPad with 128GB of storage onboard. However, is this really necessary? Have Apple gone overboard, and added another chapter into their iBook of failures?
The new 128GB iPad is identical to the fourth-generation iPad. That's the one they released this year with the Retina Display. Except that it has double the storage. You can buy a Wi-Fi version of the monster tablet today directly from Apple at a price of £639.99. The 64GB tablet, is £559.00. That's a £80.00 price difference for double the storage. Furthermore, for the Wi-Fi and Cellular version, you are going to be a whopping £729.00. And £659.00 for the 64GB. Again, with a £80.00 price difference between the two.
For starters I can see plenty of positives for owning a 128GB iPad. Who needs one? Doctors as they have a great deal of charts and reference material that they would use. I can see architects & photographers using it too, as they have very large files, that they use everyday for work. Thus, having a device with a large amount of storage is a requirement for them.
Does that mean that we will see a 128GB version iPad mini in the next refresh? Let us know your thoughts by leaving them in the comments below.
How quickly they grow up: 6Wunderkinder's near-ubiquitous Wunderlist 2 only just reached native app status as 2012 wound to a close, and it's already being optimized for Android tablets. The task management app should now offer its to-do lists and reminders on Google-powered slates of any size, with new layouts and artwork just for the bigger screen. Every Android user gets a handful of meaningful upgrades in the process, including list sharing between apps, the ability to save links and test as well as automatic syncing. Android fans wanting to get things done can hit the Google Play link to get the new version today, but they won't be the only ones getting the larger experience -- the developer is teasing an iPad equivalent in the near future.
[Source: Engadget]
Apple's new 128 GB iPads are now on sale at Apple's online store. The new iPads were announced last week and mark the first time users can buy an iPad over 64 GB in size.
The new 128 GB models begin at US$799 for the Wi-Fi version. The Wi-Fi + Cellular version will set you back $929. Currently Apple is showing a 1 to 3 day ship time for the Wi-Fi model and 3 to 5 day ship time for the Sprint and Verizon Wi-Fi + Cellular models. The AT&T Wi-Fi + Cellular model is listed as shipping in 1 to 3 days.
[Source: TUAW]
When Saturday comes you'll soon be able to watch the match on your phone, tablet or computer without forking out for Sky. Sky Sports is kicking off on Now TV, Sky's online viewing service for those of us without a dish.
Starting in spring, you can nab 24 hours of access to the service for £10. That's okay value if you have a full day of Test cricket, Masters Golf or Formula One driving-in-circles to enjoy, although it might sound a bit pricey to watch a Premier League match. Then again, get a few mates to chip in and you've got yourself a footie feast with added top bants.
I doubt pub landlords will be too impressed by this development if it leads to more people watching games at home instead of heading to their nearest hostelry with a little pint glass in the corner of the screen. But it's certainly good news for armchair fans who hate having their G and T spilled by flying elbows when they're forced to venture into the local boozer to watch a game.
You can watch Now TV on your iPhone 5, iPad, Xbox, laptop or desktop computer. Sadly for Android fans, the service is only available on a very limited range of Android devices for now, including the Samsung Galaxy S3.
At the moment Now TV just features Sky Movies. You can pay for individual films on your phone, tablet or computer, or subscribe for a month -- handy as Sky Movies has a stranglehold on new releases but charges a premium for a Sky dish and contract. Sign up now and you get a free month to try it out.
Sky customers can also now download Sky films and TV shows to their mobile devices to watch while out and about with Sky Go Extra, which costs an extra fiver over the usual Sky Go service.
[Source: CNET]
Apple just released iOS 6.1 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The release says it includes:
The update is available now, simply navigate to settings on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
[Source: TechnoBuffalo]
Anaheim, California, January 24, 2013 - Apogee Electronics is pleased to introduce the completely redesigned ONE, a 2 IN x 2 OUT USB audio interface and microphone. The all new ONE is the first studio quality audio interface and microphone that makes a direct digital connection to Apple’s iPad (iPhone, iPod touch) and Mac. ONE features Apogee’s Maestro control software, iOS device charging, optional battery power for portable recording with iPad and professional sound quality. ONE is the all-in-one solution that makes it easy for musicians, songwriters, recording engineers, film makers, audiophiles, and anyone else to enjoy professional sound quality on iPad and Mac.
ONE offers three input options; a built-in omni-directional condenser microphone, XLR input for dynamic, condenser or ribbon microphones, and 1/4” instrument input for electric guitars, keyboards or any instrument with an electric pick-up. An upgrade from the original design, ONE now has the ability to record two inputs simultaneously (instrument plus built-in microphone or external microphone). The updated AD/DA converters and mic preamps deliver best-in-class, studio quality sound and allow you to capture and playback your recordings with incredible clarity and detail.
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ONE’s audiophile quality headphone amplifier/DAC is a favorite for enhanced music listening on Mac. Now ONE delivers the same hi-fi quality sound to iPod touch, iPhone and iPad users for listening to streaming radio and music libraries with incredible clarity and detail. ONE’s built-in condenser microphone is a unique feature allowing anyone to record with incredible results and without the need for an external microphone. This paired with the option of connecting to iPod touch, iPhone or iPad and battery power enables studio-quality recordings to be created in any location. “We have completely redesigned ONE, incorporating highly anticipated features; iPad compatibility, simultaneous recording of guitar and a microphone, enhanced sound quality, and a much desired metal chassis,” says Apogee CEO and Co-Founder Betty Bennett. “This is an innovative interface, ideal for the musician who wants an all-in-one solution they can count on for ease of use and professional studio quality results, no matter where they are. We’re excited to welcome this next generation of a classic Apogee product and we know our customers will love it.” Apple’s iPad has revolutionized music creation with an intuitive touch interface and a universe of powerful and very affordable music apps. As a studio quality microphone and audio interface, ONE delivers key features to this new paradigm. Apogee’s Maestro software for iOS lets you control ONE’s inputs, mic preamp, outputs and set up low latency monitoring. ONE’s DC power charges iPad while in use so recording is not interrupted. The option of battery power for ONE allows for truly portable professional recording. When used with iPad or an iOS device, ONE works with any Core Audio compliant app like GarageBand, Auria and MultiTrack. For recording on a Mac, ONE works with Logic, Pro Tools, GarageBand, Ableton Live and any Mac Core Audio compliant application.
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Apple's line of Mac computers aren't selling as well as they were a year ago -- though a tumble in sales figures hasn't stopped Tim Cook and co. from earning a record amount of cash.
Divulging its earnings for the last three months of 2012, Apple revealed that it had flogged 4.1 million Macs, compared with 5.2 million in the same period the previous year.
Apple blames manufacturing constraints on its new, much thinner iMac desktop (pictured above), which may have impeded the maker of shiny gadget's ability to rake in Mac cash.
Apple isn't sure it will meet iMac demand in the first part of 2013 either, tuaw.com reports, with Tim Cook quoted as saying in an earnings call, "We're confident that we're going to significantly increase the supply, but the demand here is very strong and we are not certain that we'll achieve a supply/demand balance during the quarter."
The number of iPods sold has also dropped from 15.4 million in the last quarter of 2011, to 12.7 million in the same period last year.
Despite not every product line making Apple as much money as it has previously, the iPod-maker still posted record-busting revenue of $54.5 billion (about £34.4bn), and an eye-watering $13.1bn (roughly £8.3bn) of profit.
By comparison, Android-owner Google cleared $2.89bn (about £1.82bn) of profit in the same three months of last year, proving that when it comes to generating terrifying stacks of moolah, Apple still rules the roost.
It's earning power is down largely to the steady popularity of its mobile gadgets. Apple flogged a whopping 47.8 million iPhones in the last quarter of 2012, compared to 37 million in the same period in 2011, and 22.9 million iPads, compared with 15.4 million in the prior year. Samsung recently boasted that it had flogged 40 million Galaxy S3 units to retailers since its flagship phone went on sale six months ago.
Apple made $4.2bn per week in the last three months of 2012, but it wasn't enough to impress investors, who expected even greater numbers from the company. Amid concerns that Apple has lost its way, following the publication of the results nearly $47bn was wiped off the company's stock-market value.
I don't think it's unfair to say that Apple's last few product announcements have felt a tad underwhelming, but then it's hard to imagine where Apple could go with devices like the iPhone and iPad. Fingers crossed we see an exotic new product this year. Perhaps that TV everyone's been harping on about, or a car perhaps?
[Source: CNET]
The latest blockbusters are coming to your phone or tablet, as Sky lets you save movies and TV and watch them wherever you are, without Wi-Fi.
Sky is launching Sky Go Extra, an expansion of the Sky Go catch-up and on-demand service for Sky customers, the Telegraph reports. That means you can save new episodes of Girls, blockbusters like Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, or classic James Bond films on your smart device to watch on the train, on holiday, or anywhere you haven't got Wi-Fi.
For £5 per month extra, up to four users can download stuff per account, and you can download as many movies and TV shows as you want. Each download sticks around for a month. So it's not so much of a download as it is a downloan.
Get it? Downloan! I done made up a word.
Previously, you needed a Wi-Fi connection to stream movies and TV to your computer or portable device. With movies cached on your phone or tablet, you can watch anywhere without having to pay for Wi-Fi or cut into your data allowance.
It's not clear if this will be a standalone app, or just an update to the Sky Go app, which has angered Android fans by only supporting a few Android devices.
Sky has the best line-up of new films and the pick of the latest TV shows, especially from the US on Sky Atlantic. Rivals Netflix and Lovefilm don't do downloads (although Lovefilm does do those old-school downloads you used to get, the ones that take ages to download. What were they called? Oh yeah, DVDs.)
Availability of new releases is a real sticking point for online streaming services: last week it was revealed that to watch a decent selection of recent films you need to pay for both Lovefilm and Netflix.
Sky Go Extra is coming in the next few weeks. If you want to watch the latest blockbusters, but don't want to fork out for a dish and a Sky subscription, you can get films from Sky Movies channels on a pay-as-you-go basis with Now TV, Sky's spin-off app and online streaming service.
[Source: CNET]
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a very good track record in predicting Apple's product plans, has issued a new research report outlining his expectations for Apple's 2013 product launches. Kuo believes that Apple will focus its launches on the third quarter of this year, with a number of updates throughout the company's various product families.
[Source: MacRumors - Click here to read the full story]
Facebook is hosting a special event on Tuesday, Jan. 15 during which the company is expected to make several announcements. One of those announcements may just be Facebook Messenger for tablets.
TechCrunch got a hold of the above image recently, which is clearly a screen shot of Facebook Messenger running on an iPad. The site said we can expect all of the Messenger features that are already available for mobile devices, just in a bigger format, plus a new option that allows users to record messages using their voice. That seems relatively minor, since most pundits are expecting a long event that spans a few hours.
TechCrunch also believe Apple will unveil some sort of product that’s being dubbed a “big deal.” Maybe it’s a Facebook phone? Unless the company has kept the hardware under tight wraps, we’re guessing it’s going to be something entirely different. Maybe we’ll finally seeInstagram for iPad.
[Source: TechnoBuffalo]